Beer and Best Mates
by Beagairbheag
Summary: Spoilers for 4X11 & 4X13. FlackLindsayDanny Friendship fic involving beer, drunken conversations and some butt kicking. DL Based. Now AU. 4X16 never happened, but Danny's still being an ass.
1. Chapter 1

Thanks to everyone who reviewed "Bedside Manners". I've decided to write another Flack/Lindsay friendship fic though it's kind of transformed into a Flack/Danny friendship fic as well.

Spoiler warning for Childs Play and Family Ties. Though I have seen neither, since living in the UK we are being forced to watch another rerun of season three. Which is ok until they show the same episode for two weeks in a row. Grrr.

Part one of two. Second part up tomorrow. Reviews much appreciated.

* * *

"Lindsay? What are you doing here?"

Turning in her seat, and keeping a firm hold of the drink in her hand, Lindsay Monroe came face to face with a pair of the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Ok so she had seen them almost everyday for the past two years but each time she saw them she marvelled at them, always trying (and failing) to discern their true colour.

His face wasn't too bad to look at neither though at the moment it was a little bit fuzzy round the edges and she had a feeling that might have something to do with the amount of alcohol she'd poured down her throat in the last hour or so.

"Has anyone ever told you, you have really beautiful eyes?" she asked as she swung her legs back round to make room for him as he took the seat beside her at the bar.

"Yeah," he said as he ordered a beer for himself and another for her "But the ones telling me are usually sitting on the opposite side of a table in a four by four room trying to sweet talk me into getting them a better deal. Not my best mates girl". He nodded his thanks at the bar tender that arrived at that moment with the drinks "What's up Linds? I thought you where heading over to Danny's?"

Don Flack knew he'd said the wrong thing as soon as it had left his mouth and a look settled on her face.

She looked away from him and settled her gaze on the full bottle of beer and the almost empty one sitting on the bar in front of her; she finished off the latter and plunked it down on the wooden surface with a thump. Narrowly avoiding his fingers.

"Danny," she began as she tried to avoid his gaze "Didn't want to see me tonight"

"Linds," he started before she suddenly turned to him and held up a hand to stop him in mid flow.

"No, I've phrased that wrong," she said, taking another swig of beer "I believe his exact words where "I was expecting someone else"

"Well," he tried again as she paused to take a drink of her beer, but he wasn't quick enough.

"Nope, sorry. I forgot to add the "What the hell are you doing here?" bit at the beginning and the bit at the end where I got the door slammed in my face"

"He," Flack attempted one more time.

"I know he's going through a rough patch and I want to be there for him, but how can I when all he does is slam the door in my face?" Another swig follows and Flack finds himself watching her carefully. He's seen the young Bozeman native rarely lose complete control of her emotions and wondered to himself, just how far she is going to come undone.

"He hasn't talked to me in two weeks Flack" she said loudly and suddenly "Usually he can't go two hours without some form of contact. Whether that be a text, a phone call or a silly little message on a post it note telling me not to work too hard, or to make sure I get some lunch, or that he'll be waiting so don't be late home," another swig and a choked back sob followed before she continued "But for two whole bloody weeks I've had nothing apart from mindless case chatter" and with that she chugged the rest of her beer and slammed the bottle down on the bar top, her hand grasping it tightly.

"You're drunk," he said matter-of-factly before turning to the bar man "How many has she had?"

"Including that one," the bar tender said, pointing at the one Lindsay currently still held in her hand "eight"

"Come on country girl, let's get you home" he stood and tried to help her do the same but she just shook her head violently and refused to budge. She eventually looked up at him after some cajoling, her eyes full of dread and unshed tears.

"Please Don," she said quietly her words full of emotion "Please don't take me home, any where but there"

"Don't you have work tomorrow?" he said as he contemplated what to do.

She shook her head wiping at the tears that had escaped her eyes "Mac gave me the day off".

"Linds"

"Please"

He let out a sigh before nodding his acceptance and she allowed herself to be lead, on unsteady legs, out of the bar and bundled into a taxi.

She fell asleep on the ride to his apartment and he thanked the lord that he had a working elevator in his block. He knew hers sometimes shorted out and it would have killed him to carry her up five flights of stairs, had he have taken her back to her own place.

She didn't wake as he cursed and swore as he tried to open the door one handed, nor when he laid her in his bed, took her shoes off and pulled the covers over the top of her. He left a large glass of water and an extra bottle on the night stand for her to have in the morning as well as a pair of aspirin.

Standing at the door he watched her for a couple of minutes before closing his eyes and shaking his head, suddenly extremely pissed off at the man he considered as his best friend. Closing the door behind him he eyed the couch and his phone. Going to his closet and pulling out a spare pillow and blanket, he threw them on the couch he then made his way into the kitchen to make a light snack before sitting down in front of the telly and turning it on.

Picking up his home phone from the stand he pressed and held down number 4, waiting till the tell tail sound of the numbers dialling could be heard before he put the phone to his ear.

"Bonasera" came the formal hello on the other end.

"Hey Stel, you busy?"

"That depends on what you're after"

"How do you know I'm after something? Could I not be calling for a friendly chat?" he said smiling

"Flack, how many times have you called me just to have a chat?"

"Point taken"

"So, what can I do for you?" she asked and he could hear her moving about.

"You're not working till later tomorrow, right?"

"I'm not on till twelve"

"Can you come over before your shift starts?"

"To your apartment?"

"Yeah. Listen I ran into Lindsay tonight at a bar and she was wasted Stel. I managed to convince her to come home with me, but only cause she didn't want to go back to hers"

"Did something happen? I thought she was going to go and see Danny tonight"

"I think you just answered your own question"

He heard her frustrated sigh on the other end of the line.

"Listen I'm going to go round a see him in the morning before my shift starts, do you mind coming a watching over Linds for me? She's going to have one killer headache in the morning. She'll probably want someone to talk to as well"

"No problem"

"You still have that spare key?"

"Yeah. I'll be there at say, nine tomorrow?"

"That's fine. I'll wait till you get here before heading out. I don't want her freaking out cause she can't remember where she is or how she got here"

"Ok, see you tomorrow"

"Thanks Stel" he said before hanging up and putting the phone back in its cradle.

After putting away his plate, Flack watched TV for awhile but his mind wasn't able to stop wandering to the woman in the next room, and the reason that she was there. Finally deciding to get some sleep he turned the TV off and settled the pillows at one end of his couch.

His plan of getting a good nights sleep was slightly tampered by the fact that his couch wasn't actually long enough, nor really wide enough, to support his frame and he fell asleep with a small amount of fear in the back of his mind, that he might actually end up on the floor by morning.


	2. Chapter 2

Ok so this isn't "tomorrow" but I've had the oddest two weeks and writing has just gone out the window, and although I had most of this written and ready to post, I struggled over some of it. My muse returned late, late last night (just as I as about to go to sleep) with another story and that helped this along.

Thank you for sticking with me and an ever bigger thank you to all those who took the time to review. I am planning on writing a few more friendship fics, plus a few D/L fics in the near future. I hope you'll stick around for those as well. Its only going to get better…right?

There's going to be another part cause this got a bit longer than expected.

* * *

If there was one thing he could say about Stella Bonasera, it was that she was punctual. At 9am on the dot, he heard a key turn in his door and it open to reveal the New York investigator. Cup of coffee in hand.

"Hey" she said after she had closed the door and turned to face the inside of the apartment.

He acknowledged her with a nod of his head, his mouth full of food.

"She still asleep?" she asked coming in and setting down her bag.

"Yeah, hasn't stirred all night" he said after swallowing the thoroughly chewed food in his mouth

"Did she tell you what happened last night?" Stella asked as she took a seat on the other end of the couch, setting her cup of coffee on the table.

"Kinda," he said spooning another load of cereal into his mouth "She went round to his last night. He wanted to know why she was there, told her he was expecting someone else then slammed the door in her face"

"Bastard," she spat "I know he's been having a hard time but that's no way to treat her"

"A point I'm going to put across to him later on this morning"

CSINY CSINY CSINY CSINY CSINY

The first thing Lindsay was aware of when she woke, was a terrible pounding in her head. It was a steady sort of pounding till she became more aware of her surroundings and realised she wasn't in her own apartment, then the pounding increased in both sound and speed. Suppressing a groan she lifted her head from the pillow and cast a quick look around, noticing the glass of water perched on the bedside cabinet.

Sitting herself up as quietly and carefully as she could, she took a long drink from the glass. A quick inspection of the pills confirmed them as aspirin and they where quickly consumed.

Laying her head back down on the pillow she surveyed her surroundings. The room was typically male. White washed walls with a minimalist furnishings totalling two bedside tables, and the double bed she was currently residing in.

A punching bag hung in one corner while a pile of sports equipment stood piled in another. A door set in one wall was slightly open revealing shirts, shoes and jackets, numerous ties in a multitude of colours hung on the door handle.

The ties where the give away and biting back another groan, Lindsay closed her eyes and tried to put together the few fragmented pictures of last night, tried to remember how she had managed to get from the bar to Flacks bedroom.

She could remember a pair of very blue eyes, which she assumed had been Flack, and a quite a number of beers. She couldn't remember any impromptu karaoke however and for that she had to be thankful.

The reason for her drinking the night away in a downtown bar hit her at full force just then, screwing her eyes tight shut she tried to push it to the back of her mind. She did not want to think about that now, her head hurt too much already.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, and Stella's head peeked round the door frame. She pulled the covers over her head in a vain attempt to hide. She knew Stella, she knew she was going to ask questions that Lindsay really didn't feel like answering at that time.

"Hey, you awake?"

"If I say no will you go away?" came the muffled reply and Stella laughed before entering the room and taking a seat on the end of the bed, idly stroking the bed sheets.

"How's your head kiddo?"

"Don't ask" Lindsay said as she let the cover fall down and expose her face. The blind at the window keep most of the sun out though the faint light that did manage to make it through caused Lindsay to screw up her eyes.

Stella watched her for a few moments before speaking "Do you fancy some breakfast?" she asked.

At the mention of breakfast Lindsay's stomach gave a great rumble though the mere thought of food made the same organ roll rebelliously. Breathing deeply she fought to keep whatever was in her stomach, in there.

"Maybe just some toast" Lindsay finally conceded, sitting up in the bed. Stella left her to find her feet on her own, heading out the door to rummage through Flacks cupboards.

Lindsay gingerly got to her feet, slowly raising her body from the bed to a sitting position before standing up. The pounding in her head increasing with every level up and when she was standing fully upright, she fought to keep her head from dropping to rest on her chest.

Mindful of the fact that she was in socks and that Don had laminate flooring, and that slipping and ending up on her butt was the last thing she wanted, so she proceeded with caution to the bathroom at the end of the hall.

One look in the bathroom mirror confirmed her suspicions, she looked as though she'd been pulled through a hedge backwards, several times. Flattening her hair and tying it back in a quick bun, she then took a cool, wet face cloth and removed the remains of last nights makeup. She was momentary disappointed that the black bags hanging below her eyes weren't the result of smudged eyeliner and mascara.

The smell of recently toasted bread drew her out of the bathroom and into the living/kitchen area. A jug of water sat on the table in front of the television, a tall glass beside it. Stella busied herself in the kitchen while Lindsay lowered herself onto the couch, sighing as she rested her head on a pillow and closed her eyes.

The gentle clink of a plate being set down on the table and the movement of the couch as she sat down, alerted Lindsay to Stella's presence and opening one eye slowly, she looked at the curly haired woman who was eyeing her with interest, a question splashed across her face.

"I really don't want to talk about it" Lindsay said as she sat up a little and reached out for a piece of dry toast.

"You sure?"

She nodded "Yeah. Maybe later though" she said looking across at Stella with a small but friendly smile, with Stella returning one full of comfort and understanding, a silent pledge to be there when needed.

"Whenever you're ready to talk kiddo" Stella said as she reached out to rub Lindsay's arm before giving it a squeeze.

"I'm under strict instructions to tell you not to leave until Flack gets home" she said as she stood.

Lindsay rolled her eyes "Does he want me to cook him dinner as well?" she asked sarcastically before her expression softened. "He's a good friend" she said quietly but firmly. Stella nodded then looked at her watch.

"I've got to get going. You going to be alright on your own?" she asked as she lifted her jacket of the hook by the door and slipped it on.

"I'll probably go back to sleep for a while"

"Well try and eat something, and keep drinking fluids. It'll help to shift the headache"

"Headache?" Lindsay asked with a grin "What headache? I ache all over, its not just confined to my head"

"Serves you right for drinking too much in such a short space of time" Stella chided as she put her used cup and dish in the sink.

"Urgh don't remind me" Lindsay said as she sank back down on the pillows.

"If you need anything," Stella said as she leant over the couch, looking down at Lindsay who opened her eyes to stare back "Give me a call. Okay?"

"Thanks Stella" the younger woman smiled and the elder left the apartment, pausing at the door to look back at a person she considered a friend. As she watched Lindsay lift her self from the couch and slowly but surely tuck into her toast and water breakfast, Stella made herself a promise. That if Flack didn't have any luck with Danny, she'd be the next one round there, and he wouldn't know what had hit him.


	3. Chapter 3

Part three of three. Thanks to all those who have reviewed, put this on their story alerts and added it to their favourites.

Reviews, are as always, appreciated especially on characterisation and the bane of my life that is grammar (I swear they never taught us it in school).

Just to let you guys know that there are a few swear words in here, not enough to merit a change in rating but I thought it was best to let you know.

* * *

_Meanwhile, on the other side of town_

He didn't just knock on the door, he pounded it. Three times in quick succession then waited a few seconds. When the door didn't open, he continued his attack on the wooden door till it did.

The door swung open and a very dishevelled, blurry eyed Danny Messer stood in the doorway, squinting in the harsh lights in the brightly lit corridor.

"Flack!" he exclaimed when he managed to figure out who it was battering his door down "What are you doing here? Did Mac send you? Was I meant to be working today?"

As he fought the urge to wrinkle his nose at the smell that seemed to emanate from Danny, Flack pushed past him and in the apartment. Taking a moment to notice the mess and clutter that littered the small apartment, including the number of empty bottles that where lined up on the kitchen counter.

Danny shut the door behind him.

"Sorry about the state of the place. Haven't felt like cleaning in a while," he said heading towards the kitchen area "Can I get you a drink?"

"You can get me an explanation" Flack said as he should unmoving in the small living space, near the front door, watching Danny move around the kitchen and pour himself a glass of orange juice.

"An explanation?" Danny queried as he exited the kitchen.

"Yeah," Flack said, crossing his arms over his chest and staring coldly at Danny "To why your girl friend spent the night in my bed"

To say that the temperate in the room dropped would have been a gross understatement. To say that Flack had been expecting Danny to fly at him also would have been an understatement, but fly at him he did.

With over ten years in the job Flacks reaction was more on instinct than anticipation. The minute Danny headed towards him, fists raised the policeman in him reacted. There was a small scuffle which resulted in Danny being forced, face forward on the wall with Flack standing behind him holding him down as he struggled while ranting, calling Flack every name under the sun and then some.

"You done?" Flack asked when Danny had calmed down and all he could hear was heavy breathing punctured by the occasional sob "You going to let me explain before you take my head off? Danny?"

"Sure" came the dejected reply and Flack felt all the fight go out of his friend. Letting him go slowly, just in case he decided to take another swing, he lead Danny over to the sofa and pushed him down on it, before clearing the table that stood in front of it and taking a seat on that.

"For your information, I spent the night on the couch," he said as his hand came up to rub the back of his neck "If its taught me one thing, its that I need a new couch, preferably a longer one"

Danny didn't say anything but let his head drop into his hands.

"I think your fucking lucky that I was the one to find her last night. God only knows what might have happened to her if I hadn't. True she might have made her way safely home but it could have been a lot worse. How would you have reacted if I'd been here on duty, to tell you something had happened to her? Huh?"

When Danny didn't answer he continued, hoping that Danny was at least listening to what he had to say.

"I know things have been tough for you, but I swear mate, if you keep pushing your going to push her away for good"

"She doesn't," Danny began before Flack cut him off.

"She knows more than anyone what it's like to lose someone you care about," he retorted angrily "At least tell her you want to deal with it on your own for now, don't just cut her out of your life completely. She asked you to give her some time and you did, why cant you give her the same?"

Danny didn't make a move from where he was seated though he did shake his head ever so slightly.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot, this is the Danny Messer show, where only his welfare and feelings are catered for. Where he doesn't give a damn about anyone else but himself"

Danny suddenly came to life and with a "Fuck off Flack" he jumped off the couch and stomped across the apartment floor, making his way to the bathroom.

"Don't you dare throw away the best thing you've ever had in your life" Flack shouted at his retreating back before bringing a fist down hard on the coffee table that he was seated on, swearing quietly to himself as the bathroom door slammed shut.

Glancing at his watch and seeing that he still had over an hour to spare, Flack decided to stay. With any luck a cold shower might be just the thing to calm Danny down a bit so that they could have a proper conversation.

_Twenty minutes later…_

"I thought you would've left" a voice said quietly from by the door. Looking up from his coffee Flack saw a fresher, cleaner Danny Messer standing in the door jam.

"Thought I' stick around for a while you know, make sure you hadn't drowned yourself in the shower" he said taking a sip "You want some?" he asked, gesturing towards the pot of freshly made coffee.

Danny nodded his head and Flack got up to pour him a cup as Danny took a seat on one of the other bar stools at the breakfast bar, leaning heavily on the hard wooden surface. After placing a cup in front of him, Flack to the seat opposite.

"What the hells up with you Danny?" he asked as he looked at the man in front of him. This wasn't the Danny Messer he knew.

Danny held the cup between both of his hands as though savouring the warmth "Would you believe me if I said I don't have a fucking clue?" and his gaze that had been on the table top, snaked up to Flacks face, rested there for a few moments before hastily dropping back down.

"You couldn't have told her that you needed some space? That you'd call when you where ready to talk?" he asked "Would that have been so hard?"

"It was easier in the beginning, just to ignore everything and everyone. To block them all out," he sighed "The hard parts letting them back in." He sat back as far as he could on the stool and ran his hand through his hair. "I've fucked things up"

"You can say that again" Flack said, earning him a glare "Hey, you said it not me" he said, holding his hands up in defence.

"Any advice?" Danny said as he rummaged through the pile of junk on his side board. Finally pulling a sock out with his hand.

"Well, if you'd asked earlier I would have said 'take a shower'," and the sock got chucked in his direction "But since you've already done that…how about an apology? That would be a good place to start"

Danny's head dropped to his chest "I'll drop by her place later" and Flack shook his head

"She wont be there" he said, getting up a putting his cup in the sideboard by the sink "She should still be at mine"

"You didn't leave her on her own did you?"

"Nah, Stella came round" Flack said taking another sip of coffee. Danny winced.

"Yeah," Flack said as he took a glance at his watch "If you don't sort yourself out, you're going to have Stella to contend with"

"I wouldn't make it out alive"

"And you'd be on your own. For as much as I value you as a friend, Stella's scary" Flack said as he stood and stretched a little, deciding that sleeping on the couch did nothing for his back. "I've got to go, shift starts in an hour. You'll be fine?"

"Yeah I," Danny began, taking a look around "I think I'll tidy up a bit. Maybe stop by yours later, what time will you be back?" he said looking up at Flack who was gathering his jacket.

"If things go to plan, seven. Tell Lindsay I'll bring some food in" Flack said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked for messages, one from Stella, surprise, surprise. He looked up from the screen to see Danny with a slightly confused expression.

"What? You think I'd let her go home without taking about last night? I've got to at least, do the big brother thing and tell her off for drinking late at night in a bar all by herself"

Danny walked him to the door. Standing in the door frame he cast a glance at a door, a few doors down before looking back at Flack.

"It'll get easier Danny"

"I hope so" came the other mans reply and, nodding slightly in Flacks direction, shut the door, leaving Flack in the corridor staring at the paint speckled wood. He took a deep breath before running his hand through his hair and heading own the corridor and out into the street, ready to face the next challenge of the day.


	4. Chapter 4

Ok guys you twisted my arm. Here is another chapter and I'm pretty sure there will be one or two more. I really suck at endings though, so this could run on and on. Ideally I'd like to have it finished by the 14th cause I'm going on holiday then and I'd hate to leaving you waiting.

Probably not as good as the other chapters, but I hit a problem with the Lindsay/Danny conversation so I thought I'd chop the chapter in two.

* * *

"Flack. Wait up" Stella called out as she exited the lobby of the building, her eyes immediately spotting the tall, dark haired detective walking off down the street, intent on finding some sustenance, and probably some warmth. She hadn't noticed before but it was still freezing outside.

Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk when he heard his name being called, Detective Don Flack felt his face break out into a smile when he saw who it was, and he stood waiting till she had caught up with him.

"Hey" he said when she did.

"So, how'd it go?"

"He's still got all his teeth, if that's what your wondering" he said, sticking his hands in his pockets against the cold chilly breeze wafting its way down the street.

"Not really but that'll do" Stella said with a smile, glad that things hadn't deteriorated enough for them to be playing fisticuffs with one another.

He ducked his head "You fancy getting some lunch?" he asked hopefully "I know a great Thai place a couple of blocks away. It'll be warm and we can chat some more"

"Sure" she said instantly, not pausing to think the question through, and linking her arm through his they set off down the street.

It took them a couple of minutes to reach the restaurant, a walk that was taken in companionable silence. Entering, they where seated quickly and gave their orders a minute or so later. They kept the conversation to non Danny related topics till the food came.

"So," she began after taking a drink "How was he?"

"Honestly?" Flack asked as he looked across at her. She nodded "He wasn't Danny. At least, not the one I know"

She nodded again "He's been through a lot"

"That's no excuse" Flack said, spooning another mouthful of food into his mouth, savouring the rich spicy texture and taste. Feeling it warm him up from the inside.

"I know," sighed Stella as she watched him, trying to twist the noodles on her plate onto her fork and have them stay there. "Did you manage to talk things through?"

"Talking things through generally requires two people having a conversation. More water?" he asked, holding up the jug of water. She held her cup out and he poured the liquid into it "When I got there I kind of said something that got his attention in the wrong way and he flew at me, fists raised"

"What on earth did you say to him?"

Flack shrugged "I asked him why his girlfriend had spent the night in my bed"

He looked up when she didn't respond and caught her just staring at him. "What?" he shrugged again "I was only telling him the truth"

"I'm surprised you made it out of there with your nose in place" she admitted as she began eating again.

"You don't think I could take him?" he asked honestly before laughing "Messer my be able to throw a good right hook but in any fight, I'd win hands down"

"You sound certain about that"

"It's a tried and tested method" he said as he finished what was on his plate. Picking up his napkin and making sure his face was free of any particles of food.

She shook her head at him

"I just hope he sorts everything out"

Flacks trade mark smirk appeared on his face as he stood up and offered Stella her jacket, holding it as she slipped her arms into the sleeves "Don't worry" he said as he dropped a few dollar bills down on the table "I told him you'd be the next one round if he didn't get his act together. It kind of jump started him"

"Really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him as he held the door open for her to exist out into the cold street. When Flack closed the door to the small restaurant, she huddled up to his large frame and linked her arm with his, taking her fair share of the body heat that seemed to be radiating from him. Flack glanced down at the woman on his arm and smiled.

"Stella, the boys scared witless of you"

_On the other side of the city_

He only had the chance to get out the customary "Hey" before the door slammed shut in his face.

He turned in the corridor and ran his hand through his hair, trying to figure out how he was going to talk to her if she wouldn't even open the door to him. He spun on the spot when he heard the door click open again.

She stood there in an oversized sweat shirt and a pair of sweat pants that hid her feet entirely from view because they where so long. He knew that they must belong to Flack, and for a moment he couldn't see anything through the rivers of jealously that where coursing through him.

He took two steps towards the door when Bam, it shut in his face again and he stumbled backwards slightly before leaning forward and coming to land on the door. One hand on the painted white wood on either side of the door, resting on the door frame, bracing himself.

His other hand came up to smack the door frame "Damn it Lindsay" he muttered to the wood, starting as the door opened once again. Slowly this time, her face came into view.

"Like that?" she asked, one hand still holding onto the handle on the inside.

"No. You keep shutting the door in my face"

"Good" she said before slamming the door closed again.

Danny stood with his face inches from the door, his face still screwed up from the wince that had automatically occurred. He opened his eyes and his vision was filled with white once more.

He placed his head on the door and breathed deeply. As he listened carefully he could hear the sounds of her standing just behind the door, shuffling her feet from one side to another, no doubt pondering whether she should open the door one more time and whether she should let him in this time.

"Come on Lindsay" he breathed against the door. Willing her to open the door and let him in, to let him get the ball rolling. To apologize.

"I just wanted you to know what it feels like" she said, stepping away and into the apartment.

"To have a door slammed in his face?" he asked as he entered the room and shut the door quietly behind him.

"Yeah" she said as she flung herself down on the couch. Pillows where piled at one end while a duvet cover lay dripped over the back where she had thrown it off then the door had sounded. On the table in front of her sat the remote for the telly and an assortment of other things. Including a box of tissues, a jug of water and cup, and an array of food items. Food delivery service leaflets lay in a pile at the far end, waiting to be picked up and perused.

"Its happened a few times before" he said, looking around the familiar apartment and rubbing the back of his neck with one hand, suddenly unsure of what to say or where to start.

"Bet you no ones been stupid enough to open the door to you again once they've closed it once" She glanced over her shoulder at him and he ducked his head, unable to meet her gaze right then.

To him she always looked beautiful but today wasn't one of her better days, and he couldn't help but feel he was slightly responsible. _"Ok," _he thought, _"Strike the slightly." _He was responsible.

When Stella had left Lindsay had decided to take a shower and try to wash away the last 24 hours.

It hadn't helped.

Being a guy, even one who took pride in his appearance, Flack didn't have any conditioner so she had to make do with just shampooing. Since there was no conditioner she didn't even bother to look for straighteners, hence her hair was a small frizzy explosion on top of her head. The water had gotten rid of the final traces of makeup but did nothing to the bags under her eyes or the red colouring of her eyes. Being overcome with tears several times during the day didn't help much either. The lack of good sleep and her hangover gave her a pale, drawn complexion.

"What are you doing here Danny?" she asked when he didn't say anything. Twisting on the sofa to glance over her shoulder at him, standing uncomfortably in the hallway just inside the door.

He dragged his gaze up from the floor and locked his eyes with hers. He was the first one to break off, returning his gaze to look at his feet once again.

Lindsay turned on the couch with a sigh. Nervously picking and poking at her nails as she waited for him to say something, anything.

She heard him move from where he stood, round the back of the couch and towards one of the hard backed chairs set up around the small table set in the corner of the room that Flack often used as a makeshift dinning table, or somewhere to place the nibbles at a party.

She didn't look up, didn't even raise her gaze to acknowledge his move.

Till he spoke.


	5. Chapter 5

_I hate schedules and I detest deadlines, even ones set personally and never seem to make them. Just one of the reasons why this next chapter has taken so long to be written. Might be a good idea to reread some of the story._

_I also struggled writing Danny. Plus the fact that I cant write "serious" for a long time, I've got to include some humour somewhere. Which is difficult when your writing someone expressing/explaining themselves in this type of situation._

* * *

He brought his hand to his face and tried to clear the invisible mist from his eyes. He was tired, he just wanted to go home and fall into bed, but he had to sort this mess out first.

The noises from inside the room dimmed, and he was left with the sounds of the street below. The cars battling their way through the sea of traffic, their horns sounding at random intervals. The multitude of people on the streets, making their way home from work, or out for the night. All those sounds merged into one and created an awful racket that seeped through the double paned windows to his ears.

But even those sounds dimmed when he leant forward on the seat and moved his hand to the back of his neck, trying to ease the tired muscles. All the sounds of the room and beyond faded out as he thought over the events of the last 24 hours. Hell, the events of the last two weeks.

Everything was so screwed up.

He only hoped it could be sorted.

That they could be sorted.

He started when the door slammed, the sounds of the squad room coming back at full force and Detective Don Flack let out a loud groan as Doctor turned CSI Sheldon Hawkes stopped in front of his desk and dropped a file on it, on top of all the others that littered the work space. Burying paper work that needed to be done further down the pile in favour of the open, if not hot, case.

"Late night?" the former ME asked as he took a seat opposite the dark haired detective. If anyone had asked him his medical opinion just then, he'd have told them that the man sitting across from him needed a rest, at the least a weeks holiday. Preferably soon, and somewhere with a lot of sun, sea and sand.

"Long day." Flack replied, leaning back in his chair and regarding the man "What do you have for me?"

"Not much I'm afraid." Hawkes opened the file and passed it over. "The prints came back to a dead man. Marcus Mercer, murdered two weeks ago near central park. Stella's pulling his records now to see if the two cases are connected in anyway." he paused there and gave Flack an odd look as the detective looked over the file.

"She asked me, to ask you, if you've had any news? She said you'd know what she was talking about." he added when Flack gave him a blank stare back.

Flack dropped the file back on the desk and ran both his hands through his hair, messing it up. He shook his head.

"I'll take that as a no then?" Hawkes asked as he sat back in the chair, dropping the open file on his lap and pulling it apart. Checking a couple of the sheets again as if the whole answer to the case lay within, which it undoubtedly did. They just hadn't found it yet.

Flack shook his head.

"Problems?"

"You have no idea." Flack said before blowing a short, sharp puff of air from his lips. "Let Stella know I'll be round when her shift ends"

Hawkes look as though he was about to ask him what was going on, but one look at the expression on the Detectives face convinced him to keep silent. He nodded and got up from his seat.

"I'll let you know if anything pans out" he said, gesturing to the file in his hand "And I'll let Stella know."

Flack nodded to him as Hawkes backed away from the desk. A wave of his hand and he was gone, leaving Flack sitting at his desk. He looked down at the mountain of paper work that littered his desk and plopped his elbows down on the desk, resting his forehead in his palms. The slight jarring motion caused one lopsided pile of papers to completely topple over and go flying through the air onto the floor and in all directions.

He looked at the mess surrounding him before letting his head fall the rest of the distance to desk with a satisfying but rather painful thump. Groaning to himself, he knew that today was going to be a bad day. No, scratch that, he knew yesterday that today would be a bad day. Hell, he should have known this day was coming.

For two weeks now things had been building at a slow but steady pace. He had seen it happen, on both sides and had done nothing to stop it, done nothing to try to head it off. He knew that it wasn't his fault but as good friend to both parties, he felt he should have been able to do something. Hopefully he was helping now.

He only hoped it wasn't too late

* * *

"I love you"

Her head whipped round so fast she was certain that she had given herself whiplash, her gaze centring on him, or more accurately, on the top of his head as he sat with his head dipped and resting in his hand. The slightly balding patch at the crown of his head met her gaze instead of his eyes, and her gaze softened a little as she remembered teasing him about it. With both her words and caresses.

Out of all the things he could have said, out of all the things he should be saying, that was the one that got her full attention and if she had to be perfectly honest, she hadn't been expecting it. Not then, not now. Not even at the point they were in in their relationship.

She knew she was in love with him. Even suspected the fact that he was in love with her. He just didn't know it and she sure as hell wasn't going to tell him. She might not have a lot of knowledge when it came to the point in the relationship when they where talking about love and other such things, but she did know that telling ones other half that they were in love with oneself, was not the way to go.

He glanced up quickly but lowered his gaze again just as quick. He line of sight didn't even get as far as her neck, let alone her face. It had fallen on her hands, that lay twisted together on her lap and found himself unable to look up any further. He saw her hands twist and fidget, tense and release and felt a pang within himself. She wasn't supposed to be like this, she wasn't meant to be feeling what she was feeling. He was meant to prevent things like this happening to her, not causing her to suffer.

Not for the first time, the thought that he wasn't good enough for her crossed his mind and settled there, echoing in his ears. It faded to a mere whisper before sounding loudly again, going round and round in his head. Settling into all the nooks and crannies. Taking root.

His line of sight was once again directed at his shoes. He spoke to them too, directed his declarations to them, seemingly unable to look in her direction, let alone maintain eye contact.

"I know that's probably not what I should be saying right now, but I wanted you to know." he said, his voice low and she felt herself leaning in his direction, trying to make sure that she caught every word that he said.

He paused there as if expecting a reaction of some sort from her, but none came and he risked a glance in her direction.

She sat on the couch looking rumpled and utterly adorable, and his heart soared once again, and he felt the need to express his love to her over and over. The look in her eyes however, when he met her chocolate brown ones with his sparkling blue, questioned him and wanted an explanation. One he wasn't sure he could give.

Not that he didn't want to, just that he wasn't too sure in himself what was going on.

"I love you," he said again "And I think I have done for a while now. Not that I've been acting like it, but I don't think I've been acting like myself for a while now and I'm sorry for that. Hell, I'm sorry for a lot of things, many that I don't think I'll be able to make up for. I…"

"You've been an ass" came her quite voice from the couch.

"I think that's putting it lightly" he admitted, running a hand through his head and allowing a small smile to grace his features as he agreed with her. Who could he not? She was being truthful and fairly nice. There was a lot of other things she could have called him.

He caught her eyes before looking away again, and while he gazed aimlessly about the room in an attempt to avoid looking at her, she took a moment to look at him. Over the last two weeks she had seen him at work, even worked with him on some cases, but she'd never been able to get close enough, for long enough to really take a look at him.

He wasn't as scruffy looking as he had been and she suspected he had taken a bit of time to get ready before coming out, and had not just stood under the warm water of a shower to wash away the daily smells but taken time to make himself look slightly more than presentable.

The over grown stubble covering his chin and most of the lower part of his face had been trimmed back to a shorter, more like his usual five o'clock shadow length. He sported a bed head style hair style which she actually preferred to his over the top waxed up-do, and usually she couldn't tell the difference between the two but she knew which she liked better. It was easier, and less messy, to run her fingers through the former.

Though still in shape, his clothes didn't fit him the way they had. It was slight but he'd lost a bit of weight recently. She doubted anyone else had noticed and doubted she would have noticed had she not been so involved with him. He hadn't been eating properly, often replacing solid foods with liquid substitutes and it showed.

They sat together in silence, each waiting for the other to continue the conversation.

Finally, Lindsay spoke.

"What is it that you want Danny?"


	6. Chapter 6

_I'm not sure anyone is going to want to read anymore of this, hell I'm having a hard time writing the rest of this but if I don't finish it then it wouldn't feel right. 4.16 does not happen in this story._

_I hope everyone knows what I am talking about, especially when I begin to talk all "British". If anyone doesn't understand anything I write about just let me know._

_In case any one was wondering…I don't own them…yet!_

* * *

"Maybe they're making up," Stella suggested quietly as they both paused outside of the door leading into Flacks apartment, their attention focused on the rooms that lay beyond. Both listening intently for the sounds of a make up or a break up.

Or of a murder being cleaned up.

"Not on my couch they aint," Flack said suddenly as he fumbled for the keys in his pocket.

"Of course not," Stella said leaning against the wall, watching him try to get the key in the lock. "They'll have made it to the bedroom by now." She had to bite her lip to prevent herself from bursting out into hysterical laughter when he sped up his efforts to get into his own apartment, though a chuckle still escaped and a glare was shot in her direction.

Turning back to the door Flack finally managed to get the key in the lock and turn it. The mechanism turned, and with a soft click it unlocked. He gave the door a soft push and it swung open to reveal…nothing. They could see most of the living room, including the couch Lindsay had been reclining on earlier but she's wasn't to be seen.

Flack gave Stella a sideways glance before striding confidently into the apartment. It was his after all.

"Lindsay?" he called out as they both stood in the short hallway. Stella closed the door quietly behind them, wrinkling her nose slightly as the smell of cleaning fluids hit her.

"Yeah?" came a voice and a second later Lindsay Monroe stuck her head round the corner, looking down the hall at them, cleaning cloth in hand. "Oh, hey Don. Hey Stell" she said before disappearing round the corner again.

Flack looked at Stella, eyebrows raised in question, before continuing a few more steps down the short hallway and into his living room. Stella followed closely behind.

"Lindsay. What are you doing?" He asked as the living room and his kitchen area, set of to the right, came into view. He could see the top of her head as she bent down to put some cleaning products back in the cupboards under the sink.

"I got bored" she said simply, reappearing over the counter top and smiling at the two of them.

"So what did you do with the body? Garbage shoot?"

"Flack!" Stella scolded, swatting him on the shoulder.

"You mean Messer's still out there, walking around and unharmed?" he asked, looking carefully at Lindsay's face as she nodded, trying to decide whether the look on it was one of disappointment or contentment, as he didn't think any other emotion would apply.

If he was truthful with himself, she looked calm and a lot better then she had earlier this morning. Whatever had happened, had put a shot of colour in her cheeks and created an air of optimism around her. He still wasn't sure whether he would have to play big brother though, and go find one Danny Messer and beat the crap out of him.

He would leave that conversation till later.

"So what's with all the cleaning then?" he asked, taking a look around his apartment. The worktops and surfaces gleamed back at him and he shot a glance at Stella.

"I told you, I got bored" she said again, flicking her fingers at an imaginary piece of dirt on the counter before looking up and catching the seasoned cop and CSI looking at one another, eyebrows raised and then back at her again. Her smile diminished.

"Guys don't look at me like that, I haven't gone mad. I just needed something to do for a while."

"I left you my TV." Flack said in disbelief. Unable to believe that anyone could get bored when they had that and his home entertainment system.

"Yeah well, midday soaps and the sports channel get repetitive a little repetitive after a while," she said before ducking her head and looking slightly guilty "Plus I split some popcorn earlier. It needed to be cleaned up".

"So you decided to clean the whole place?" asked Flack as he took of his jacket and hung it up on the hooks that lined the wall near the entrance to his kitchen area.

"I bet it needed it" Stella interjected, giving Lindsay a sidelong look and a smirk.

"Hey! I keep the place clean."

"Yeah, you and the cleaner"

"You employ a cleaner?" Lindsay, propping herself up against the counter and watching as he travelled to the fridge to get himself a drink.

"Does it look like they pay me enough to hire a cleaner?" he asked, raising his hands in a questioning gesture before taking a long drink from the bottle of water. "I keep the place tidy by myself"

"Well you don't do a very good job" Lindsay said as he walked back into the living area with his bottle. "Have you ever looked under your couch? I was expecting something to jump out at me when I cleaned under there."

Flack looked at her.

"You cleaned under my couch?" he asked looking confused "Why the hell did you do that?"

"Because it needed to be cleaned"

"But nobody looks under my couch. How where they going to tell if it was dirty or not?"

"See Flack," Stella put it "You need a woman to show you how to do it properly."

"You offering?" he asked, looking straight at her with an expression that was clearly asking her if _she_ cleaned under her couch. He enjoyed the way that she looked away, bit her lip and coloured a bit.

Lindsay stood with her back against the counter, switching her gaze from one to the another as if she was watching a tennis match. A small smile gracing her features as she did.

"You staying for something to eat, Stella?" she finally asked after they had stood in silence for a few moments.

Stella shook her head, he hair swaying with her. "I cant stay. I've got to get back to the lab soon, we have a suspect coming in."

"Well," began Flack "I'm going to change." He ran his hand through his hair and he gaze each woman a different look. "I'll see you tomorrow Stell. You," he said, pointing at Lindsay "Don't go anywhere, I want to talk with you," before crossing the floor and backing into his room, closing the door behind him.

Lindsay and Stella turned their attention to one another once the door had closed and Flack was on the other side, each boasting a silly smile upon their face which caused them both to burst into a few moments of girlish giggling for no apparent reason.


End file.
